Cap display apparatuses, systems and methods

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the cap display apparatuses, systems and methods allow various products and goods such as caps, hats and other fashion and sports accessories to be mounted and displayed without having the mount primarily visible relative to the product being displayed. One cap display embodiment includes a housing with a base, an upper element connected to the base, a lower element connected to the base, a tensioning element for biasing the lower element towards the upper element, and a fastener connected to the base for fastening the housing to another element. The tensioning element holds the lower element against the upper element so that a cap or other item being displayed can be held between the upper element and the lower element in a fixed position.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

The subject matter described in the present application is related to that described in the U.S. Patent Application No. 61/387,466 to Schmid filed Sep. 28, 2010, now pending, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND Field

The inventive subject matter relates, in general, to displays for caps, hats, and other fashion accessories, specifically displays which can be positioned or mounted on another element such as a wall, stand or a display rack.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the cap display apparatuses, systems and methods allow various products and goods such as caps, hats and other fashion and sports accessories to be mounted and displayed without having the mount primarily visible relative to the product being displayed. In this way the item being displayed is visible and the display apparatus is not primarily visible. In several of the embodiments, a baseball type of cap may be displayed. In other types of embodiments, other caps and head wear can be displayed. Additionally, other accessories such as key chains and sports boards such as skateboards or snowboards may be displayed.

One embodiment is a display for a cap that includes a housing with a base, an upper element connected to the base, a lower element connected to the base, a tensioning element for biasing the lower element towards the upper element, and a fastener connected to the base for fastening the housing to another element. The tensioning element holds the lower element against the upper element so that a cap or other item being displayed can be held between the upper element and the lower element in a fixed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the inventive subject matter, and, together with the description, further explain the embodiments of the inventive subject matter. In the drawings,

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the cap display apparatus;

FIG. 2 illustrates another view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates another side view of an embodiment of the cap display apparatus in the upward position;

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of the cap display apparatus with a cap inserted into the cap display;

FIG. 6 illustrates a top down view of an embodiment of FIG. 5 with a cap inserted into the cap display;

FIG. 7 illustrates a top down view of an embodiment without a cap inserted into the cap display;

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment without a cap inserted into the cap display;

FIG. 9 illustrates a rear perspective view of an embodiment without a cap inserted into the front portion of the display;

FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 9 without a cap inserted into the cap display;

FIG. 11 illustrates a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 10 in an upward position without a cap inserted into the cap display;

FIG. 12 illustrates a top down view of an embodiment of FIG. 10 with a cap inserted into the cap display;

FIG. 13 is an illustration of a top down view of the embodiment of FIG. 12 without the cap inserted into the cap display;

FIG. 14 is an expanded view of the side view of the embodiment of FIG. 12 with a cap inserted into the front portion of the cap display;

FIG. 15 is another component view of an embodiment of the cap display;

FIG. 16 is rear component view of another embodiment of the cap display;

FIG. 17 is a side view of an embodiment of the cap display apparatus holding a cap;

FIG. 18 is component view of another embodiment of the cap display using a clip for tensioning;

FIG. 19 is a rear view of the embodiment of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a top perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 18 showing the lower element positioned with the spring so that it is tensioned into the upper element;

FIG. 22 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 18 showing the lower element positioned with the spring so that it is not tensioned into the upper element;

FIG. 23A is a side perspective view of a spring element according to an embodiment of the inventive subject matter;

FIGS. 23B to 23E are additional views of the spring element of FIG. 23A;

FIGS. 24A to 24D show views of a cap display according to embodiments of the inventive subject matter;

FIGS. 25A to 25D show additional views of a cap display according to embodiments of the inventive subject matter; and

FIGS. 26A to 26E show views of another cap display according to embodiments of the inventive subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In describing the disclosed inventive subject matter, including those embodiments illustrated in the drawing, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. Although the embodiments will now be discussed in further detail, the descriptions are not an exhaustive explanation of all possible variations in structure and operation of the inventive subject matter. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes or modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventive subject matter including the embodiments presented herein. It should be further apparent that any or all combinations of the individual described variations with the disclosed embodiments, for example tension elements and gripping surface configurations, are possible.

Embodiments of the inventive subject matter aid in displaying various types of hats, caps and other types of accessories such as hats, keys, skateboards, skis, key chains and other accessories and sports equipment. The described embodiments themselves may be mounted to any surface with any known attachment or fastener to any suitable support structure or they may be mounted to one or more wires or strings. Embodiments may also be used for protecting against deformation of the caps or hat being displayed. Similarly, caps or hats may be positioned between the upper and lower front surfaces

With reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the cap display apparatus 10. The apparatus 10 includes an upper element 12 and a lower element 22. FIG. 1 also shows the top surface 14 of element 12 and top surface 24 of element 22 as well as the base 18 which allows fastener 30 to be used to fasten the apparatus 10 to another element such as a wall (not shown.) Fastener 30 is shown in FIG. 1 as a screw but it may also be one or more of any suitable fastener known to those skilled in the art such as a screw, nail, removable tape, hook and loop and/or magnets.

In several of the embodiments, the element to which the apparatus is fastened with fastener 30 may be fixed or moveable, such as a platform which can move the apparatus by mechanical means so that one or more apparatuses 10 may moved separately or in unison to achieve a motion display effect of several items being displayed in conjunction with apparatus 10.

In one embodiment, several display apparatuses 10 may be holding and displaying several different caps or hats and those hats or caps can be moved together in a wave like fashion to give the impression the groups of caps is moving or floating against a wall.

FIG. 2 illustrates another view of the rear of an embodiment of the cap display apparatus 10 utilizing springs 28 for the tensioning of the lower element 22 towards the upper element 12 so that an article being displayed can be securely held in place. This view shows the upper surface 24, the lower surface 26 of the lower element 22, and the upper surface 14 and the lower surface 16 of upper element 12. The base 18 is also shown having a spring 28. The spring 28 is situated in such a manner so that the lower element 22 can be moved in both an upward and downward direction with the spring 28 maintaining the bias or the default state so that the lower element 22 is tensioned in an upward direction towards upper element 12. In this manner, a hat or any other suitable article being displayed can be securely gripped or held with a sufficient amount of pressure between the rigid upper element 12 and the moveable lower element 22.

In this embodiment, the hat being displayed would then be positioned by the user between the upper surface 24 (or lower element 22) and the lower surface 16 (of upper element 12) so that the hat would be firmly held in place by the apparatus 10 and the apparatus 10 would be fastened to a wall or other display mount. The hat being held by the apparatus 10 would then be visible to potential customers and the apparatus 10 would remain in a lower visibility profile. A user could easily remove the hat from the apparatus 10 by pulling the hat from between the upper element 12 and the lower element 22 and return it to the apparatus 10 after inspecting the hat closer. The same or different hat could be used with the apparatus 10 with a user depressing the lower element 22 and inserting the hat into the apparatus 10. Once the lower element 22 is released by the user, the hat would be firmly held between the elements 12 and 22.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of the embodiment of the cap display apparatus showing the range of movement of the lower element 22 which may be used by a user to insert or release an article and which holds the item being displayed in place. FIG. 4 illustrates another side view of the embodiment of FIG. 3. that shows the cap display apparatus 10 in the upward position such as when in use with holding a hat for display or in position to be used before depressing element 22 and inserting a hat or article for display.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of the cap display apparatus 10 of FIGS. 3 and 4 which also includes a baseball cap style hat that has been inserted into the front portion of the apparatus 10 and which is being firmly held and displayed. The cap 32 is being held in place by the tensioning of the lower element 22 towards the upper element 12. FIG. 6 illustrates a top down view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5. The display apparatus 10 is shown from the top with a cap inserted into the front portion of the display apparatus 10. Upper surface 14 of upper element 12 is shown in FIG. 5 above the hat 32.

FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of an embodiment of another embodiment of the cap display apparatus 10 which does not have a cap 32 inserted into the front portion of the apparatus 10. In this embodiment, the upper element 12 is shaded and the lower element 22 is made of a clear rather than a shaded polymer material, such as a plastic. Spring 28 and fastener 30 are also shown positioned on base 18. In other embodiments, the upper element 12 may be used for tensioning the article in place and the lower element 22 may be rigid. Similarly, in other embodiments, both the upper element 12 and the lower element 22 may be tensioned with one or more springs 28 as desired by the needs of the manufacturer, for example with heavier articles such as sporting goods, for example helmets or snowboards, that are being displayed.

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of the cap display apparatus 10 without a cap inserted into the front portion of the apparatus 10. In this embodiment, an alternative lower profile design is used to aid in the display of the features of the cap or other article to be displayed.

FIG. 9 illustrates a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 8. This embodiment also shows an alternative design configuration using additional apertures in the polymer base 18, upper element 12 and lower element 22. FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 9 with the range of movement of the lower element 22 shown.

FIG. 11 illustrates a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 10 in an upward position without a cap inserted into the front portion of the display apparatus 10. FIG. 12 illustrates a top down view of the embodiment of the cap display apparatus 10 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 with a cap 32 inserted into the front portion of the display between the upper element 12 and the lower element 22 (not shown.) FIG. 13 is an illustration of a top down view of another embodiment of the cap display apparatus 10 showing a logo or brand display on the lower element 22.

FIG. 14 is an expanded view of the side of an apparatus 10 with a cap 32 inserted into the front portion of the apparatus 10 between the upper element 12 and the lower element 22.

FIG. 15 is an side view illustration of another embodiment of the display apparatus 10. In this embodiment, a solid plastic or molded plastic form or any other suitable polymer is used for both the upper element 12 and the lower element 22 as well as the base 18 and one or more metal springs or clips are used to maintain the elements 12 and 22 in a biased position.

FIG. 16 illustrates a rear view of another embodiment of the inventive subject matter using springs 28 to bias the lower element 22 towards the upper element 12.

FIG. 17 is a diagram of the embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 16 also showing a cutaway view of the fastener 30 as it is positioned through an aperture in base 18. FIGS. 18 through 21 show various illustrations of another embodiment of the apparatus 10 (not show holding a cap for display.) In this embodiment, an alternative formed stell spring is used to tension the lower element 22 towards the upper element 12. Any suitable spring or coil may be used in this and other embodiments.

FIGS. 23A through 23E show illustrations of a clip element which may be used in several embodiment of the apparatus 10. This clip element 28 may be used to tension the lower element 22 towards the upper element 12 with a predetermined amount of force. FIGS. 24A through 24E illustrate embodiments which are constructed with the clip element 28 of FIGS. 23A through 23E. In these embodiments, a hat (not shown) may be positioned between the upper element 12 and the lower element 22 of the apparatus 10. The clip 28 tensions the lower element 22 towards the upper element 12 so that the hat may be firmly held in place.

FIGS. 25A through 25E show additional components views of the embodiments of FIGS. 23A through 24E and FIGS. 26A through 26E illustrate an additional embodiment of the apparatus 10 using a clip 28. In many of the embodiments, the upper element 12 may be separate from the base 18 or it may be a part of the base 18. Similarly, the clip 28 can be used for form the base 18 through which the fastener passes and also the upper element 12 and lower element 22. In this way, one or more clips may be used with the remaining apparatus 10 structural elements.

In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present inventive subject matter which have been described with some degree of specificity above it will be obvious to those skilled in the relevant art that additional objects and advantages will become more readily apparent and that a large variety of substitutions of elements may be made with the same results. 

1. An apparatus for displaying a cap comprising: a housing with a base; an upper element connected to said base; a lower element connected to said base; a tensioning element for biasing said lower element towards said upper element; and a fastener connected to said base for fastening said housing to another element; wherein said tensioning element holds said lower element against said upper element so that a cap may be held between said upper element and said lower element in a fixed position.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tensioning element is a clip.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tensioning element is one or more springs.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a moveable base at which the fastener attaches. 